


Lost Girl

by Neverforget94



Category: Dragon Age (Video Games), Dragon Age - All Media Types, Dragon Age: Inquisition
Genre: Child Inquisitor, One Shot, Other, Parental Feelings, Stress
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-06-03
Updated: 2017-06-03
Packaged: 2018-11-08 11:21:34
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,005
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11080515
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Neverforget94/pseuds/Neverforget94
Summary: The Inquisitor is a 12 year old Dalish girl, with the weight of the world on her shoulders. She can't help but feel she's not up to the task of closing the breach the night before the mages arrive. Cassandra comforts her, but doesn't know what else to do. A timid elf steps up to try and fight for the girl on her behalf.





	Lost Girl

**Author's Note:**

> Honestly, I saw a child inquisitor once and was like, kinda sorta want to give that a go. Ended up being more focused on the female elf that's there when you first wake up in the game. Kind of a lazy writing, no beta. But I like how it turned out.

Her chest was heaving, trying to catch its breath. But she only stopped long enough to adjust her grip on her sword before throwing herself back at the dummy with a shout. She ran through every drill she knew, parrying, thrusting, slashing, and blocking. Each form more difficult than the last, each form, she had been told, meant to hammer her into a warrior. Someone capable of protecting herself.

But she had to be more.

She needed to go from child to weapon. She needed to protect so many people…She just needed to be more. So after completing the final form, she once again paused and readjusted her grip again. Her hands shook, her fingers clumsy now. They were refusing to hold her blade. A frustrated growl left her and she forced her hands to work.

Again.

She threw herself forward, and was jarred when a someone stepped in front of the dummy and blocked her blow. Without thinking she slide into a different attack, which was blocked once more. With a breath she allowed herself to stop thinking, move with the person, and soon they were sparing in earnest. She held her own, and the other did as well.

But she could feel they were holding back.

“Please, you’ve done enough for one night Lea.” They begged. She refused to meet their eyes, because the moment she acknowledged them she knew she’d be forced to stop.

A cry left her as she began to push her strength further, push them a step back, as if her life depended on it. Couldn’t they see? If she couldn’t beat an ally, how was she supposed to beat an enemy? How was she supposed to protect anyone? She couldn’t afford to stop.

Especially when all of Thedas needed her.

It was then the warrior struck, slipping past her guard and locking their arms together. She tried tugging away, but couldn’t. Her grip gave out and her arms failed her. Everyone was stronger than her anyways, she thought hopelessly. The other person ripped her training sword away, along with their own, and arms were wrapped tightly around her. They were kneeling now, and their face was resting on her shoulder. When had that happened?

At first she tried to push them away again, the smell of flowers and dust entering her nose. Cassandra. Of course it was her. She eventually dropped her arms to her sides and just let the woman hang onto her. She’d let go soon. She’d let go. So she waited. Her face devoid of emotion.

“You’ve done nothing wrong Lea, so please. Stop punishing yourself.” She said quietly, almost squeezing Lea, as if she could press the truth behind her words into the girl.

Lea felt a lump trying to rise in her throat but forced it back down as much as she could before her reply. She was proud that her voice only cracked a little in the first word. “I watch you all die Cass. In that broken world, I saw what will happen if I fail.”

Her breathing was steady for a moment, but then it began to waver now that she had spoken. “If I couldn’t protect my friends from death, how am I supposed to be trusted with protecting everyone else?”

“I wasn’t meant for this. Everything hurts!” Her arms moved on their own, to return Cassandra’s embrace, and she clenched her eyes shut against the world. “I can’t do it Cass! I’m sacred! What if I do everything I’m supposed to, and the future I saw still happens?”

A slight shake settled into her and a broken sound left her in place of words now. And all Cassandra could do was hold her. A child was not meant for this she agreed. But the maker wouldn’t choose one if it could be helped right?

Lea sobbed for what felt like hours to her, all the fear and pain she had been holding onto finally forcing its way out of her. Closing the breach could wait, Cassandra decided then. Closing it could wait and anyone who thought otherwise could come through her to get to the child. She was still sobbing when Cassandra picked her up, the 12-year old’s weight next to nothing in her arms, and began to walk back to Haven’s gates.

Sometimes she forgot how young the girl was, especially when she acted so old. Hearing Lea cry was a hard reminder that the fate of the world rested upon such slight shoulders. They had to do better at helping her. In everything that was happening, the excitement with the mages and closing the rifts, her grief and youth were forgotten. How many times had they turned to her to make a choice that shouldn’t rest on her? How many times had they demanded her to choose for all the people what is right and wrong?

Upon walking through the gates, she glared at anyone who dared to look like they were about to approach. But…the elven woman from when Lea first woke up almost looked determined as she stalked forward and followed Cassandra to Lea’s small cabin. Lea had fallen asleep. Apparently the crying had unleashed a lot of things in her, first among them was fatigue. Cassandra grimace and added less travelling to her list of things she’s be speaking to the inner circle about…after the breach was closed.

“Lay the girl down miss.” The elven woman said, her face set. “I’ll watch over her while she sleeps.”

Cassandra nodded after laying her down on her bed and covering her in her blanket. She turned to leave, planning on talking with her fellow advisors.

The young elven woman sat on the bed by the girl, looking down at Lea with soft eyes. But then they hardened and she stood, taking a step forward and squaring her shoulders. She had never been brave, but for the herald, for the child, she could be.

“A word Lady Cassandra?” She phrased it as a question, but there was steel in her voice that suggested it was an order.

With a frown Cassandra stopped in the doorway and turned around, raising an eyebrow. It wasn’t everyday someone so meek grew a backbone.

“The young herald...She’s…I know what the inquisition has planned for her.” She paused before continuing, “She’s to close the breach once the mages settle in right?”

Cassandra nodded, turning to face the woman fully. “She is. Though I wish she’d have time to recover herself first. But she’ll have more free time once it’s closed.”

The young elf frowned, leveling her stare at Cassandra. “That’s not good enough!”

“Time to recover herself and that’s it. Tell me, please, when she closes the breach, is it certain she’ll survive?” She asked.

Cassandra couldn’t bring herself to answer that. The truth was that nothing was certain. And, if what the apostate had said was true, the magic on the girl’s hand might just burn the life out of her while she sealed the breach. The Elf frowned and clicked her tongue in disapproval.

“Is it the maker’s will that the child will have time to rest only when she’s dead?” Cassandra’s face burned but she said nothing in reply, so the woman continued, “I’ll not stand for it. Give her one week at the very least to let her be a child. One week! Ever since she woke, she’s been dealing with that cursed breach and the burning in her hand. She doesn’t deserve this Lady Seeker.”

The fire went out of the woman then, and she retreated to the girl’s side. She was shivering in fear of what she had said, but didn’t regret it. And as the silence grew longer, she found the will to stop shaking, and take Lea’s hand into her own, pressing a kiss to the back of the child’s hand.

“You are…very protective of her.” Cassandra finally spoke.

“I am.” She whispered in reply, watching the child’s chest rise and fall, praying she wouldn’t wake for a long time.

“Do you mind if I ask why?”

The woman shook her head. “Not at all Lady Seeker.” She placed Lea’s hand back at her said and sat up to face Cassandra. “First of all, she’s a child. Any child needs someone to look after them. And when she’s not with you, or with the rest of the inner circle, she has been spending time with me. Secondly, we owe her. And by we, I mean the small community of elves that are here. Remember the elven child who fell through the ice?”  
Cassandra nodded so she kept speaking, and turned to look fondly at the girl on the bed. “She leapt in after him, with no fear. And saved his life.”

“She nearly lost her own.”

“And without her actions, the child would be dead.” The woman said quietly. “She gave me her reason you know. She said that help wouldn’t have come fast enough if it wasn’t her. She knew. She understands that if it wasn’t her, the child would have been left to die. So, she jumped. And she’s done other things as well. Merchant making the prices higher for elves only? She gives him a tongue lashing and forced him to fix the prices for everyone. Someone being cruel to one of their hired hands, simply because they’re an elf? She’s there, reminding them to be kind, because she is one of us. She has stood by us all here because we are silent. There’s nothing we can do to argue against the injustice. But her? I don’t know if it’s her dalish blood, of the knowledge that she’s someone of importance now, but she has spoken on all our behalves and keeps doing so.”

“I heard her reasons, and I saw her actions. Lady Seeker, anyone can see she’s being forced to grow all too quickly. She’s all too willing to risk her life for others. It’s…startling to see someone so young act in such a way.” She shook her head. “Has anyone asked after her past life? I have. People are forgetting she is a child. She is a person. She had a life before she was the herald. And it’s terrible. I know it’s unavoidable, but I hope to at least stem the tide a bit.”

Cassandra stood in the doorway, her face letting her thoughts flash across her brow. “I…will see what can be done. I make no promises, but I… I will play my part in trying to stem the tide, as you put it.”

“Thank you.” She said quietly, and turned her attention back to the girl. She was curling up on the bed, snuggling into the pillow. The elf, upon seeing the sight, moved to pull the blanket out from under her and cover her up.

“Can I ask what your name is?” Cassandra said, turning to leave.

“It’s Emily.” The woman said absentmindedly as she tucked the girl in.

“Thank you…for the reminder that we need to do better by her.”  
“No thanks needed Lady Seeker.” She returned to her seat and Cassandra left them there.

As she walked, she considered the woman’s words over and over. Not only that, but the protective nature of the woman toward the girl. The child had no one to speak for her, and had been speaking for herself for so long. Cassandra wondered if she’d benefit with having a guardian while here. And while she would prefer that one of the inner circle be that to her, she knew that such a decision would only lead right back here. Someone impartial was needed. Someone who wouldn’t forget that Lea, the dear herald, was just a child.

She felt that Emily fit that bill. Perhaps…she’d bring this up to the others.

But first, she was going to fight for a week off for the child. Especially since it wasn’t sure she’d live past closing the breach.

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks for reading. If this gets enough interest, I do want to post another thing like it. Let me know if this is interesting enough to turn into a series?


End file.
